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I truly do hope that Valve comes aboard the Linux platform, because then the door will be open for other gaming companies to do the same. The Linux platform desperately needs a solid gaming scene to attract more "Windoze" users to make the switch.

I encourage all Linux users to check this out and to send in e-mails to encourage support for the Linux platform. It sounds amazing and so far they seem to be only supporting Windows and Mac OS X. From what I've read they use a browser plugin to transfer the latest 3D games to PC's.

I really hope they do come to linux. I would rebuy all my source games if they did

If they handle it the same way they are doing the Mac OS version of steam, your license for existing steam purchases in Windows will transfer to Linux. They've already stated publicly that this would be the case for Mac OS X, so I don't see why they wouldn't do the same for Linux.

The license isn't per-platform, nor per-machine. It's really awesome. Steam is the way games, movies, music, and so on should have been sold. If this is how all the other DRM worked, nobody but the fundamentalists would ever have started bitching about it.

Contrast to Ubisoft, whose CEO rapes puppies in the park on Tuesdays, kills kittens at animal shelters on Wednesdays, and creates user-hostile DRM schemes on Thursdays. You don't even want to know what he does Friday through Monday, I may get banned just for mentioning any of it!
</slander>

The license isn't per-platform, nor per-machine. It's really awesome. Steam is the way games, movies, music, and so on should have been sold. If this is how all the other DRM worked, nobody but the fundamentalists would ever have started bitching about it.

DRM doesn't really work for music and movies, because you want to be able to play them on any kind of machine. The fundamentalists (well, I can only speak for myself) care about freedom. If DRM doesn't restrict that freedom, then it's not a problem.

Of course, DRM is completely useless as a copy protection mechanism. But it seems to help CEOs sleep at night.

Steam allows you to play games offline if you set it to remember you account.

Yes, I read the thread and yes, I already know about Steams offline mode. I've used it. I have it installed now via WINE, and own several of Valves own games which I also have installed after having previously used it before I switched from Windows.

My point is regardless of whether you're online or offline - you need steam started before you can launch a game. Offline mode is just Steam without checking the Steam online service. It's a small but still annoying thing - sometimes I'd like to jump straight into TF2 without going through Steam (especially as it takes up over 100mb ram, whether that's normal for Steam or simply inefficiencies in WINE I don't know). They seem to be deliberately using their own games as a way to peddle usage of their store. Nothing wrong with the store itself, but it's troublesome that they use them as battering rams to shove their store down my throat.

Better separation between the services and Steam application would be a God send, but I guess you can't have it all. I'm sure there'd be ways for 3rd parties to offer similar features with the same games.

On behalf of Mr Ubisoft I say...

Originally Posted by elanthis

The license isn't per-platform, nor per-machine. It's really awesome. Steam is the way games, movies, music, and so on should have been sold. If this is how all the other DRM worked, nobody but the fundamentalists would ever have started bitching about it.

Contrast to Ubisoft, whose CEO rapes puppies in the park on Tuesdays, kills kittens at animal shelters on Wednesdays, and creates user-hostile DRM schemes on Thursdays. You don't even want to know what he does Friday through Monday, I may get banned just for mentioning any of it!
</slander>

*snip* sometimes I'd like to jump straight into TF2 without going through Steam (especially as it takes up over 100mb ram, whether that's normal for Steam or simply inefficiencies in WINE I don't know). *snip*

Guestimate fail

Guestimate Fail - It's seems (not too surprisingly) Gabe's talk was about generating more buzz around Portal 2 (although it apparently) did involve fake-BSOD-ing the roughly 4000-large audience. I still hold at hope for a Linux release at some point (the latest Phoronix article seems to show hope, except for the bit based on my failed guestimate) in the future - maybe it was a bit too much to hope for expansion to two platforms almost simultaneously; the Mac support has come with Portal 2 – maybe the unpredictable Linux release could come with the unpredictable Half-Life 2: Episode 3 release .

Guys there wont be a Linux release of Steam. I expected more from Michael Larabel rather than a "ZOMG IZ IT TRUE ??" type of article. It isn't very sensible Michael to falsely give hope to people

Well just about a week ago, I would have felt the same way, thinking Valve would never release Steam/Source for anything other than Windows or Xbox 360, but with the sudden announcement of OS X support, it certainly increased the possibility of a Linux port for me, as it shows Valve are actually willing to port to a non-MS platform.